LeBron James apologizes for using the word 'retarded'

May 10, 2011|By Ira Winderman, SPECIAL TO THE MORNING CALL

BOSTON — Miami Heat forward LeBron James said Monday he was reacting to the inanity of a question and did not intend to demean when he muttered "that's retarded" beneath his breath during a Saturday postgame media session.

Following Monday night's 98-90 overtime victory against the Boston Celtics, James offered an apology.

"I want to apologize for using the 'R' word after Game 3," James said from the same podium where he made his comment two nights earlier. "If I offended anyone, I sincerely apologize."

On Saturday night, as teammate Dwyane Wade was asked a rambling, innocuous question about his supposedly aggressive play in the Heat's Game 3 loss in this best-of-7 Eastern Conference semifinal series, James, seated alongside, muttered his comment, while covering his face.

Asked about his word choice, James initially said, "I have no idea what you're talking about," during his Monday media session at the Heat's game-day shootaround at TD Garden.

He then said he was annoyed by the question and reacted.

"I didn't understand the question," he said. "It's definitely blown out of proportion. I don't think Dwyane is a dirty player."

James typically whispers comments to Wade during their dual media sessions, with the microphones at AmericanAirlines Arena in Miami, unlike those at TD Garden, not amplifying those words.

Of his comment that he apparently did not believe would be picked up by the podium microphone, James said, "It's the same as saying, 'I don't think that's a great question' or 'I think it's a stupid question.'

"Dwyane has never been a dirty player, so I don't know why someone would even ask him that question."

Asked if the video of his response was typical of how his comments have been magnified this season, James said, "of course."

Following that morning interview session, James said he was not aware that his word choice would be construed as offensive, and said that never was his intention, making it clear he was responding to the question, not the questioner.

He then offered his postgame apology Monday night.

Ira Winderman is a reporter for the Sun Sentinel, a Tribune Publishing newspaper.